Lately, we have given a number of talks on the responsibility of parents to be the primary educators of their children in the Faith.  In addition to our Raising Catholic Kids for Their Vocations (TAN, 2019), we have begun recommending a great new book by our friend Fr. Carter Griffin, Forming Families, Forming Saints (Emmaus Road, 2024).

Drawing on his own experience as a seminary rector and the wisdom of the Church concerning Christian formation contained in the Program for Priestly Formation, Fr. Griffin examines the four basic areas that the Program outlines: human, spiritual, intellectual, and apostolic.  In each area he examines relevant virtues and illustrates them with examples from the lives of the saints and his own pastoral experience.

This book helps parents understand more concretely their task to form their children in the Faith and provides practical examples and inspiration for doing so.  Our task as parents is to help our children get to heaven.  Of course, it’s only by God’s grace that  we can do so, but it helps to have a clear picture of what growing in holiness as a family looks like.  Fr. Griffin gives us that picture with his book.